The present invention relates to automobile accessories, more particularly to accessories used to protect an automobile windshield. Most specifically, this invention relates to a retractable visor which is adapted to be installed over the windshield and can be retracted into and extended out from a visor housing.
In general, automobile windshields have been manufactured for the purpose of shielding automobiles and automobile drivers against wind, rain or snow. More specifically, the windshields have been designed so as not to allow the rain or snow inside the automobiles.
The rain or snow held on the surface of the automobile windshield usually blocks the outside view through the windshield. In addition, the windshield of an automobile parked outdoors at night during the winter months often becomes frosted over.
For the purpose of preventing the rain, snow or frost from covering the windshields of the automobiles, today""s automobile windshields are equipped with windshield wipers.
The windshield wipers provided on the automobile cannot secure sufficient visibility for the driver when it rains or snows heavily, since the movement of the windshield wipers is not sufficiently efficient in such a case. Furthermore, the movement of the windshield wipers themselves frequently obstructs the driver""s view. In addition, it is very difficult to remove the frost from the surface of the windshield with the wipers.
On the other hand, the roof of the automobile parked in direct rays in midsummer becomes overheated to the extent that the driver has to experience an uncomfortable degree of heat inside the automobile. Furthermore, there have been numerous reports of cases in which infants left inside the automobiles suffocated due to the heat inside.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-mentioned problems.
An object of the present invention to provide a retractable visor for an automobile windshield, which may secure the sufficient visibility for an automobile driver even if it rains or snows heavily.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a retractable visor for an automobile windshield, which may eliminate the use of windshield wipers, whose movement obstructs the driver""s view, operated at the time of raining or snowing, or removing frost from the surface of a windshield.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a retractable visor for an automobile windshield, which may prevent the air inside an automobile from being excessively heated when the automobile is parked in direct rays in midsummer.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following novel constituent means whose features are listed below.
According to one feature of the present invention, there is provided a retractable visor for an automobile windshield, which comprises visor housing means for housing a visor element, which the housing means is attached to a roof lying above the windshield of an automobile; and the visor element capable of being retracted into and extended out from the housing means in a sliding manner.
According to another feature of the presents invention, there is provided a retractable visor for an automobile windshield, which comprises a visor element installed over the windshield of an automobile, which the visor element has a semi-cylindrical inflexible plate form; and visor housing means for housing the visor element on a roof of the automobile, which the housing means has a semi-cylindrical form.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a retractable visor for an automobile windshield, which comprises a visor element installed over the windshield of an automobile; visor housing means for housing the visor element on a roof of the automobile; and visor holding means for holding the visor element, one end of which the holding means is connected to a front end of the visor element, while an other end of which the holding means is mounted on a body of the automobile in a sliding manner.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, there is provided a retractable visor for an automobile windshield according to the above said feature, wherein the other end of the holding means is mounted on the body of the automobile in a rotational manner, instead of the sliding manner.